High on Crack Street
Encyclopedia
High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell is a 1995 American
documentary film
directed by Richard Farrell, Maryann DeLeo and Jon Alpert
. It was a co-production of HBO and DCTV, produced by Farrell, DeLeo, and Alpert. The documentary takes place about 30 miles northwest of Boston in the economically depressed former mill city of Lowell
, Massachusetts
.
as the first planned textile town in the United States, the city had fallen on hard times since the mills left the city in the early 1920s. Wang Laboratories
, a major employer in Lowell in the more prosperous 1980s, declared bankruptcy and virtually went out of business in the early 1990s. The Lowell of 1995 had a large percentage of the population unemployed or underemployed, in poverty, and unaffected by positive things in the city like the Lowell National Historical Park
and The Lowell Folk Festival
(established in 1990). Much of the film takes place in a lower-class section of the city's (Lower) Highlands neighborhood.
The documentary frames the lives of three addicts against this background; particularly their hopeless situations, while exploring them as human beings. The film reveals the lives behind addiction: their aspirations, why they do drugs and why they don't quit, etc. It interviews their families, friends, and members of the community, discussing how drugs have destroyed the lives of the addicts. Richard Farrell, one of the directors, writers, and producers, is a native Lowellian and a former addict; allowing the crew deep access to the city's drug scene.
The filmmakers follow around three people: Boo Boo, Brenda, and former professional boxer Dicky Eklund in their daily exploits to get high. Throughout the course of the documentary, Brenda, a prostitute, becomes pregnant and contemplates an abortion but has to "hook" to pay for the abortion. Whenever she earns enough money she blows it on drugs instead of getting the $395 abortion. The father could be her on-again off-again boyfriend Mike or the father may, in fact, be Boo Boo. Brenda also attempts detox rehab for the baby, but after talking to her parents decides to abort, then do detox, then to go back home. She loses the will to complete the program, as she had 6 times before. She ultimately goes missing which launches Boo-Boo into a panic as he looks for her. The police become aware of her whereabouts, but are unable to tell Boo-Boo per her wishes. Dicky, the older brother of "Irish" Micky Ward
, is a boxer who had at one time fought Sugar Ray Leonard
, losing by decision after 10 rounds and attempted to make a comeback. He tries to prevent his habit - and the crimes he commits to feed it - from destroying his life, but he can never stay clean for long and ends up arrested on multiple violent charges. While awaiting trial, his mother attempts to raise bail money with a benefit at the local VFW
. The event develops into a fight between spectators and the $5,000 bail is not raised. Later, Boo-Boo discovers he has HIV after Brenda had been missing for several months. He subsequently attempts to find honest work, joins a support group, and attempts to re-open contact with his family. He loses a job as a deliveryman at a donut shop when it is revealed he was driving with no license. The documentary ends with him discussing how he is the only member of the three still in Lowell and not in jail. In the closing credits, it is revealed that 6 months after filming, Brenda was still considered missing by those remaining in Lowell, Dicky was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison (he was paroled in 1999), and Boo Boo is still in Lowell with a $200 a day crack habit.
, is shown smoking crack and being high throughout, thinking that the HBO camera crew are filming him making a boxing comeback.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Richard Farrell, Maryann DeLeo and Jon Alpert
Jon Alpert
Jon Alpert is an American journalist and documentary filmmaker, known for his use of a cinéma vérité approach in his films. A native of Port Chester, New York, Alpert is a 1970 graduate of Colgate University, and has a black belt in karate....
. It was a co-production of HBO and DCTV, produced by Farrell, DeLeo, and Alpert. The documentary takes place about 30 miles northwest of Boston in the economically depressed former mill city of Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Synopsis
While Lowell is generally known for its central role in the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
as the first planned textile town in the United States, the city had fallen on hard times since the mills left the city in the early 1920s. Wang Laboratories
Wang Laboratories
Wang Laboratories was a computer company founded in 1951 by Dr. An Wang and Dr. G. Y. Chu. The company was successively headquartered in Cambridge , Tewksbury , and finally in Lowell, Massachusetts . At its peak in the 1980s, Wang Laboratories had annual revenues of $3 billion and employed over...
, a major employer in Lowell in the more prosperous 1980s, declared bankruptcy and virtually went out of business in the early 1990s. The Lowell of 1995 had a large percentage of the population unemployed or underemployed, in poverty, and unaffected by positive things in the city like the Lowell National Historical Park
Lowell National Historical Park
Lowell National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of the United States located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Established in 1978 a few years after Lowell Heritage State Park, it is operated by the National Park Service and comprises a group of different sites in and around the city of...
and The Lowell Folk Festival
Lowell Folk Festival
The Lowell Folk Festival is the second largest free folk festival in the United States. Only Seattle's Northwest Folklife is larger, both in attendance and number of performance stages. It is made up of three days of traditional music, dance, craft demonstrations, street parades, dance parties, and...
(established in 1990). Much of the film takes place in a lower-class section of the city's (Lower) Highlands neighborhood.
The documentary frames the lives of three addicts against this background; particularly their hopeless situations, while exploring them as human beings. The film reveals the lives behind addiction: their aspirations, why they do drugs and why they don't quit, etc. It interviews their families, friends, and members of the community, discussing how drugs have destroyed the lives of the addicts. Richard Farrell, one of the directors, writers, and producers, is a native Lowellian and a former addict; allowing the crew deep access to the city's drug scene.
The filmmakers follow around three people: Boo Boo, Brenda, and former professional boxer Dicky Eklund in their daily exploits to get high. Throughout the course of the documentary, Brenda, a prostitute, becomes pregnant and contemplates an abortion but has to "hook" to pay for the abortion. Whenever she earns enough money she blows it on drugs instead of getting the $395 abortion. The father could be her on-again off-again boyfriend Mike or the father may, in fact, be Boo Boo. Brenda also attempts detox rehab for the baby, but after talking to her parents decides to abort, then do detox, then to go back home. She loses the will to complete the program, as she had 6 times before. She ultimately goes missing which launches Boo-Boo into a panic as he looks for her. The police become aware of her whereabouts, but are unable to tell Boo-Boo per her wishes. Dicky, the older brother of "Irish" Micky Ward
Micky Ward
Micky Ward , nicknamed Irish, is a retired American junior welterweight professional boxer and a former WBU champion from Lowell, Massachusetts...
, is a boxer who had at one time fought Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
, losing by decision after 10 rounds and attempted to make a comeback. He tries to prevent his habit - and the crimes he commits to feed it - from destroying his life, but he can never stay clean for long and ends up arrested on multiple violent charges. While awaiting trial, his mother attempts to raise bail money with a benefit at the local VFW
VFW
VFW may refer to:*Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke*Veterans of Foreign Wars*Veterans of Future Wars*Video for Windows*VFW Parkway...
. The event develops into a fight between spectators and the $5,000 bail is not raised. Later, Boo-Boo discovers he has HIV after Brenda had been missing for several months. He subsequently attempts to find honest work, joins a support group, and attempts to re-open contact with his family. He loses a job as a deliveryman at a donut shop when it is revealed he was driving with no license. The documentary ends with him discussing how he is the only member of the three still in Lowell and not in jail. In the closing credits, it is revealed that 6 months after filming, Brenda was still considered missing by those remaining in Lowell, Dicky was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison (he was paroled in 1999), and Boo Boo is still in Lowell with a $200 a day crack habit.
Awards
Source- Columbia Dupont Silver Baton
- CINDY Gold
- CHRIS Award
- NEMN Silver Apple
In popular culture
A fictionalized version of the documentary is featured in the 2010 feature film The Fighter, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. In the film, the documentary is titled Crack In America. Eklund, portrayed by Christian BaleChristian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
, is shown smoking crack and being high throughout, thinking that the HBO camera crew are filming him making a boxing comeback.